Anyone in Chicagoland area interested in a meat goat business?

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Countryside : One Thread

If there are any homesteaders within a hour or so drive of Chicago interested in raising wethers for a certain ethnic population in the Chicagoland area, I will be happy to pass on the buisiness we had to leave behind when we moved last year? Thanks! Darlene

-- Darlene Silliman (tomdarsavy@cs.com), February 17, 2002

Answers

Where do you live in Chicago? I am in Zion,IL

-- Lisa (lkocanda@fsi.net), February 18, 2002.

I'm nowhere near there, but just out of curiousity, how much do you get for a wether, at what age/weight, and do you sell them butchered or deliver them live?

-- snoozy (bunny@northsound.net), February 19, 2002.

Snoozy,

Each wether sale is different. Some people like them small (even not weaned yet) and others like them several years old. A lot of it depends on culture and what one is used to. Depending on supply and demand, the cost varies a lot. In many states, you can't sell the meat unless it has been USDA inspected. This adds to the cost of the end product. I have seen goat meat in some markets for $4/LB on up. Many places you can sell the live animal and of course the price per LB would be significantly less. depending again on availability, the cost of wether on the hoof varies. In rural Texas, they are abundant and so the price is lower, but usually near a metropolitan area the price goes up as the demand is greater. Darlene

-- Darlene Silliman (tomdarsavy@cs.com), February 19, 2002.


Thanks, Darlene. I'm just looking ahead to the time when I've got my goats. I wouldn't want to do the butchering myself anyhow -- I can do the ducks in, but I don't think I could do a furry creature. There are a number of Halal meat shops in this area, so I think I'll be able to find a market for whatever spare wethers I'll have, when I get there.

-- snoozy (bunny@northsound.net), February 19, 2002.

Moderation questions? read the FAQ